Liquid collecting apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for collecting liquid accumulated at an end of a rotatably mounted applicator roller used for applying liquid to sheet material passed thereover, includes a rotatably mounted wheel having an irregularly contoured peripheral edge forming a plurality of cells therealong. The edge of the wheel is resiliently urged into contacting engagement with the roller end. Rotational movement is imparted to the wheel by the rotation of the applicator roller, whereby liquid is collected in the cells and is carried from the vicinity of the roller end.

[451 Aug. 8, 1972 United States Patent Kent et al.

684,260 4/1964 Canada........,...........

Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Richard M. Sheer Attorney-Sol L. Goldstein M. Koch, Wheaton, both of 111. [73] Assignee: Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Mount Prospect, Ill.

June 22, 1970 [22] Filed: ABSTRACT Apparatus for collecting liquid accumulated at an end [21] Appl. No.: 47,948

of a rotatably mounted applicator roller used for applying liquid to sheet material passed thereover, in-

/8 95/89 113/203 cludes a rotatably mounted wheel having an irregu- 3/00 larly contoured. peripheral edge forming a plurality of 118/104, 203; 95/89, 89 A cells therealong. The edge of the wheel is resiliently [5l] lnt.'Cl................ [58] Field of urged into contacting engagement with the roller end. References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/ 1965 11/l964 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 993,563 5/1965 Great Britain......

Rotational movement is imparted to the wheel by the rotation of the applicator roller, whereby liquid is collected in the cells and is carried from the vicinity of the roller end.

3,190,205 Baumbach.................95l89 R 3,155,541 J k 18 203 ac son I llClaimBDmwingFigures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to apparatus for applying a liquid developing solution to copy sheet material by means of a wetted applicator roller from which excess developing solution has been wiped, and

more particularly to apparatus for removing excess liquid from the ends of the roller to provide uniform application of the liquid to the copy sheet material throughout the width thereof.

In liquid developing apparatus such as, for example, of the type described in US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 32,314, filed Apr. 27, 1970, wherein there is included a rotatably mounted roller adapted to carry a limited amount of developer fluid for application to a diazos sensitized copy sheet, and a wiper member mounted for tangential engagement with the roller surface for the purpose of wiping excess fluid therefrom, there nor mally occurs an accumulation of developer fluid along the ends of the roller member.

When developing rather wide copy sheet material which extends to or beyond the roller end the quantity of fluid accumulated at the ends of the roller adjacent the wiper member tends to wet excessively those portions of the copy material coming into contact with the accumulated fluid.

In the case of the diazo-developing apparatus described, it is important that. only a limited quantity of developer solution be applied to the copy sheet material so as to provide dry-to-the-touch copies-without the need for drying. If, however, a greater amount of fluid than that prescribed is applied to any portion of the copy sheet material, as in the case wherein the accumulation of fluid exists along the ends of the applicator roller, that area of the copy material emerges wet and has a greasy texture. The latter makes the copies unacceptable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION removes liquid accumulated at the ends of the roller.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide apparatus for use in developing apparatus of the type described heretofore, which eliminates accumulated developer liquid from the ends of a rotating applicator roller during the operation of the developing apparatus.

Briefly, a preferred embodiment of a fluid eliminator or collector according to the invention comprises a rotatably mounted wheel having an irregularly shaped (i.e., grooved, slotted, fluted) outer edge forming a plurality of fluid carrying cells therealong. The wheel is mounted with its rotational axis substantially transverse to the axis of the applicator roller, and the edge of the wheel is resiliently biased against the end of theroller. The rotational movement of the applicator roller turns the wheel. Fluid is transferred by capillary action into the cells, and is carried therein away from the roller end. Once carried from the immediate vicinity of the roller end, gravity causes the fluid to flow downwardly along they body of the wheel into a catch basin below.

2 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the invention and its organization and construction may be had by referring to the description below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; wherein,

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a diazo-type developing apparatus in which fluid collector apparatus according to the invention is employed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the fluid collector apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating in greater detail the relationship thereof with respect to the applicator roller of the liquid developing apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, sectioned plan view of the fluid collector wheel and applicator roller end shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, illustrating the manner in which fluid accumulated at the end of the applicator roller is collected and removed by the fluid collector wheel according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now the drawings more in detail, FIG. 1 thereof illustrates developing apparatus 12 of the type described in copending US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 32,314, filed Apr. 27, l 970, in which fluid collector apparatus 14 according to the invention is used.

The developing apparatus 12 comprises an applicator roller 16 having a central shaft portion 18 of metal and an outer layer 20 of a smooth, non-porous, resilient material, such as rubber. The outer surface 22 of the rubber layer is specially prepared to form a fluid carrier surface having irregular depressions or recesses of varying depths and sizes.

Applicator roller 16 is mounted for rotation at the ends of shaft portion 18 at shaft extensions 24 (FIG. 2). A motor (not shown) provides the power for driving the applicator roller rotationally.

Positioned on opposite sides of roller 16, spaced approximately from each other thereabout, are blade members 26, 28 Each blade member is mounted on a respective rotatable support, herein shown as a tubular shaft 30, 32, respectively. The blade members 26, 28 are attached to their respective supports by means of blade holder assemblies 34, 36.

The support shafts 30, 32 are rotatable in the direction of the arrows (clockwise as illustrated in FIG. 1) to cause blade members 26, 28 to engage the surface 22 of applicator roller 16. The blade members 26, 28 are shown in an engaged position with respect to roller surface 22 in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

A tubular conduit 38 mounted on an L-shaped bracket 40 connected to blade holder assembly 34, is provided to dispense developer liquid to the surface 22 of applicator roller 16. The conduit is connected via a tube (not shown) through a pump (not shown) to a reservoir of developer fluid (not shown) to maintain a constant supply of developer liquid at the roller surface 22 during the developing operation. Developer fluid dispensed from apertures, such as 42, in the tubular conduit, is poured onto the surface 44 of blade member 26, and upon the latter engaging roller surface 22, is applied thereto.

Metering or wiper blade member 26 together with specially formed applicator roller surface 22, deliver a controlled amount of developer fluid to copy sheet material (not shown) being developed. The blade member 26 wipes away excess developer fluid which in turn runs back into a trough or catch basin. 46 beneath the applicator roller and the blade members. The excess fluid is channeled through an opening 48 in trough 46, and eventually finds its way back to the fluid reservoir.

The blade member 28, when engaged with roller surface 22, applies pressure to the latter along a line of contact therewith equal to the force provided by blade member 26 at the opposite side of the roller. The contact area forms a developing zone 50 through which copy sheet material is passed to be developed.

In operation, a copy sheet entering the developing apparatus 12 at entrance 52 is manually urged upwardly in the direction of arrow 54 along curved guide member 56 mounted on fixture 58 within the housing 60 encasing the developer apparatus. The leading edge of the copy sheet material is eventually gripped between the pressure applying blade member 28 and the roller 16. The rotation of roller 16 transports the copy sheet material through developing zone 50 whereat a precise amount of developing liquid is applied in printing fashion to the material. The developed copy material emerges from the developing apparatus 12 at exit 62 in a dry-to-the-touch condition.

As mentioned heretofore, during the operation of the developing apparatus 12, there occurs an accumulation of developing fluid at the ends, 64 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of the applicator roller 16, adjacent wiper blade member 26. The fluid accumulated at the roller ends is, by the centrifugal force created by the rotation of the roller, carried along the roller end andis eventually, in the vicinity of the developing zone at blade member 28, thrown onto the roller surface 22. Thus, if copy material of a width great enough to contact the roller surface whereat the accumulated fluid has been deposited is fed into the developer apparatus, excessive wetting of the copy material along that portion takes place, thereby providing overwetted unacceptable copies.

To substantially eliminate the accumulated liquid at I the ends of roller 16 before the liquid can be thrown onto roller surface 22, there has been provided the fluid collector apparatus 14 according to the invention.

The apparatus 14 of FIGS. 1 and 2 are identical, however, the apparatus of FIG. 1 is illustrated as being positioned at the far end of roller 16, while the apparatus of FIG. 2 is illustrated as being located at the opposite end of the roller 16, not shown in FIG. 1. In any case, fluid collector apparatus 14, comprises a wheel member 66 mounted for rotation at its center 68 on a shaft 70. The peripheral edge portion 72 of the wheel member is irregularly contoured, i.e., being grooved, slotted or fluted, to include a plurality of individual, dimensionally equal cells 74, best seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The particular embodiment of fluid collector wheel 66 illustrated in the drawings includes a plurality of V-shaped cells about the outer edge thereof, such as in the case of a gear or the like member. The size of each cell 74, in this case the angle A" (FIG. 3) of the V, it should be understood, is selected in accordance with the diameter of the applicator roller 16 and with the speed of rotation at which the roller is operated. If the diameter and speed 82, to a support wall 84 of the developing apparatus. 1

of the applicator roller are large, a wheel member having relatively small cells would not be suitable, since fluid gathered therein would be thrown away from the rotating wheel member by the centrifugal force created when it is'rotated. The correct size of a particular wheel member can be determined easily by one skilled in the art.

Beneath the rotatably mounted wheel member and integrally formed therewith is a cylindrical guide portion 76 having a diameter less than that of the wheel member itself. As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter the lower portion 76 aids in the removal of fluid collected by wheel member 66 during the developing process.

The shaft 70 is positioned substantially vertically and transverse to the direction of the central shaft 18 of roller 16. The shaft 70 is attached by welding or other suitable means to a spring member 78 (herein shown as being U-shaped) which itself is'in turn mounted by means of a bracket portion formed integrally therewith by means of suitable fasteners, such as screws The spring member 78 tends to resiliently bias the peripheral edge 72 of fluid collector wheel member 66 against the end 64 of the roller 16 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Thus, as the roller 16 is driven rotatably in the direction of the arrow, movement thereof causes wheel member 66 to berotated in the direction of the arrow shown (FIG. 2).

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, there is shown an enlarged sectional view of the fluid collector wheel and roller end 64 for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which developer liquid 43 accumulated on roller end 64 is removed by the rotating wheel member 66.

As the wheel member 66 rotates with the edge 72 thereof in engagement with the roller end 64, the individual cells 74 are closed by the engagement of the edge of the wheel member and the roller end. The accumulated developer fluid 43 is gathered in the closed cells and is carried away from the roller end 64. Once carried from the immediate vicinity of the roller end, gravity causes the liquid to flow downwardly from the grooved edge 72 along the outer surface of portion 76 of wheel member 66. The surface tension of the fluid maintains the fluid in contact with the member, and it continues to flow along shaft 70 and therefrom, falls, in the form of droplets (FIGS. 1 and 2), into the reservoir 46.

As mentioned heretofore, fluid collecting apparatus 14 of the type illustrated is positioned at each end of the applicator roller 16, since the accumulation of fluid takes place at both ends thereof. The pair of fluid collector wheels serves to eliminate accumulated fluid at the roller ends near the wiper blade member 26, thereby preventing excessive amounts of fluid from building up on the roller surface 22 near the roller ends which would otherwise wet excessively the edges of copy material fed into the developing apparatus.

In practice, the fluid collector wheel member 66 is of a plastic or nylon material to ensure positive rotation thereof on shaft 70 with little or no drag on applicator roller 16. Wheel members of other suitable materials may however, be used with equal success.

been shown and described, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made. It is therefore contemplated to cover by the present application any and all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for applying uniformly a controlled quantity of liquid from a rotating applicator roller to sheet material passed over the surface of said roller, apparatus for collecting liquid accumulated at an end of said applicator roller, said collecting apparatus comprising:

rotatable wheel means having an irregularly shaped peripheral edge forming a plurality of cells thereabout, means for resiliently biasing said wheel means toward said roller end with said peripheral edge contacting said roller end, wherein the rotational movement of said applicator roller imparts rotational movement to said wheel means said accumulated liquid at the end of said applicator roller being gathered in said cells by capillary action, and means for removing the liquid gathered in said cells and directing said liquid away from said cells and from said roller edge.

2. In apparatus for applying uniformly a controlled quantity of liquid as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removing means includes guide means for conducting liquid gathered in said cells gravitationally away from said wheel means.

3. In apparatus for applying uniformly a controlled quantity of liquid as claimed in claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge of said wheel means includes V-shaped grooves therealong, forming said plurality of cells, the

size of said grooves being determined in accordance with the diameter of said applicator roller and the speed of rotation thereof.

4. In apparatus for applying uniformly a controlled quantity of liquid as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wheel means is mounted for rotation on a shaft member extending substantially perpendicularly to the axis of said applicator roller, and wherein said shaft member is attached to spring means, the latter urging said shaft member and said wheel means toward said roller end.

5. In apparatus for applying a quantity of liquid from a wetted rotating applicator roller having a first axis of rotation from which excess liquid is removed by a wiper member to sheet material passed over the surface of said roller, apparatus for substantially eliminating liquid accumulated at an end of the applicator roller in the vicinity of said wiper, said apparatus comprising:

rotatable wheel means having a second axis of rotation perpendicular to said first axis of rotation and having an irregularly shaped peripheral edge forming a plurality of cells thereabout, means for mounting said wheel means for rotational movement adjacent said applicator roller end with the peripheral edge of said wheel means in engagement with the end of said roller in a plane perpendicular to said first axis of rotation, the liquid accumulated on the roller end in the vicinity of said wiper member being gathered by capillary action in said cells and carried away from said roller end i the rotatio f saidw lme s. 6. ii apparatus f r applyir t g a qu iiiitity of liquid as claimed in claim 5 wherein said wheel means is resiliently urged into contacting engagement with the end of said applicator roller, whereby rotational movement is imparted to said wheel means.

7. In apparatus for applying a quantity of liquid as claimed in claim 6 wherein said wheel means is mounted for rotation on a shaft member, said shaft member extending transverse the axial direction of said applicator roller, and wherein said apparatus includes spring means to which said shaft member is connected for urging said wheel means into contacting engagement with said roller end.

8. In diazo-type developing apparatus for applying a liquid developing solution to copy sheet material by means of a rotatable wetted applicator roller having a first axis of rotation from which excess developing solution has been wiped, apparatus for collecting liquid developing solution accumulated at the end of said roller in the vicinity whereat said excess liquid is wiped from said roller surface, said collecting apparatus comprising:

a wheel having an irregularly shaped peripheral edge forming a plurality of cells therealong, said wheel being mounted for rotational movement about a second axis of rotation perpendicular to said first axis of rotation and being resiliently biased toward said roller end with the peripheral edge of said wheel contacting said roller end in a plane perpendicular to said first axis of rotation, said liquid developing solution accumulated at the end of the roller being collected in said cells by capillary action and removed from the roller end by the rotation of said wheel means.

9. In diazo-type developing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the rotational movement of said applicator roller imparts rotational movement to said liquid collecting wheel.

10. In diazo-type developing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said applicator roller is mounted with its axis substantially along the horizontal, wherein said wheel is mounted for rotation on a shaft member extending substantially vertically, and wherein said apparatus further includes a spring member attached to said shaft member for urging said shaft member and said wheel toward said roller end.

11. In diazo-type developing apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said cells are dimensionally equal and each has a V-shape, and wherein said wheel includes a lower cylindrical portion having a diameter less than that of said wheel and over which liquid collected in said cells flows, thereby to aid in the removal of liquid from the vicinity of said roller end. 

1. In apparatus for applying uniformly a controlled quantity of liquid from a rotating applicator roller to sheet material passed over the surface of said roller, apparatus for collecting liquid accumulated at an end of said applicator roller, said collecting apparatus comprising: rotatable wheel means having an irregularly shaped peripheral edge forming a plurality of cells thereabout, means for resiliently biasing said wheel means toward said roller end with said peripheral edge contacting said roller end, wherein the rotational movement of said applicator roller imparts rotational movement to said wheel means said accumulated liquid at the end of said applicator roller being gathered in said cells by capillary action, and means for removing the liquid gathered in said cells and directing said liquid away from said cells and from said roller edge.
 2. In apparatus for applying uniformly a controlled quantity of liquid as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removing means includes guide means for conducting liquid gathered in said cells gravitationally away from said wheel means.
 3. In apparatus for applying uniformly a controlled quantity of liquid as claimed in claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge of said wheel means includes V-shaped grooves therealong, forming said plurality of cells, the size of said grooves being determined in accordance with the diameter of said applicator roller and the speed of rotation thereof.
 4. In apparatus for applying uniformly a controlled quaNtity of liquid as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wheel means is mounted for rotation on a shaft member extending substantially perpendicularly to the axis of said applicator roller, and wherein said shaft member is attached to spring means, the latter urging said shaft member and said wheel means toward said roller end.
 5. In apparatus for applying a quantity of liquid from a wetted rotating applicator roller having a first axis of rotation from which excess liquid is removed by a wiper member to sheet material passed over the surface of said roller, apparatus for substantially eliminating liquid accumulated at an end of the applicator roller in the vicinity of said wiper, said apparatus comprising: rotatable wheel means having a second axis of rotation perpendicular to said first axis of rotation and having an irregularly shaped peripheral edge forming a plurality of cells thereabout, means for mounting said wheel means for rotational movement adjacent said applicator roller end with the peripheral edge of said wheel means in engagement with the end of said roller in a plane perpendicular to said first axis of rotation, the liquid accumulated on the roller end in the vicinity of said wiper member being gathered by capillary action in said cells and carried away from said roller end by the rotation of said wheel means.
 6. In apparatus for applying a quantity of liquid as claimed in claim 5 wherein said wheel means is resiliently urged into contacting engagement with the end of said applicator roller, whereby rotational movement is imparted to said wheel means.
 7. In apparatus for applying a quantity of liquid as claimed in claim 6 wherein said wheel means is mounted for rotation on a shaft member, said shaft member extending transverse the axial direction of said applicator roller, and wherein said apparatus includes spring means to which said shaft member is connected for urging said wheel means into contacting engagement with said roller end.
 8. In diazo-type developing apparatus for applying a liquid developing solution to copy sheet material by means of a rotatable wetted applicator roller having a first axis of rotation from which excess developing solution has been wiped, apparatus for collecting liquid developing solution accumulated at the end of said roller in the vicinity whereat said excess liquid is wiped from said roller surface, said collecting apparatus comprising: a wheel having an irregularly shaped peripheral edge forming a plurality of cells therealong, said wheel being mounted for rotational movement about a second axis of rotation perpendicular to said first axis of rotation and being resiliently biased toward said roller end with the peripheral edge of said wheel contacting said roller end in a plane perpendicular to said first axis of rotation, said liquid developing solution accumulated at the end of the roller being collected in said cells by capillary action and removed from the roller end by the rotation of said wheel means.
 9. In diazo-type developing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the rotational movement of said applicator roller imparts rotational movement to said liquid collecting wheel.
 10. In diazo-type developing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said applicator roller is mounted with its axis substantially along the horizontal, wherein said wheel is mounted for rotation on a shaft member extending substantially vertically, and wherein said apparatus further includes a spring member attached to said shaft member for urging said shaft member and said wheel toward said roller end.
 11. In diazo-type developing apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said cells are dimensionally equal and each has a V-shape, and wherein said wheel includes a lower cylindrical portion having a diameter less than that of said wheel and over which liquid collected in said cells flows, thereby to aid in the removal of liquid from the vicinity of said roller end. 